What are Multipe Measures?
A growing body of evidence indicates that standardized placement tests tend to underestimate students’ likelihood of succeeding in college-level coursework, leading to students being misplaced in developmental coursework, slowing their academic progress and increasing their likelihood of dropping out of college. Multiple measures means that colleges incorporate two more more criteria for assessment and placement. Under a multiple measures approach, standardized testing is no longer the primary means of assessing if a student is prepared for college-level coursework.
Examples of Multiple Measures Include:
- High school or college transcripts
- Highest level of coursework completed in a subject area and corresponding course grade
- Attitude surveys
- Vocational or career aptitude interest inventories
- Specialized certificates or licenses
- Education and employment histories
- Military training and experience
- Interviews
- Holistic scoring processes
This list may be refined after the AB 705 Implementation Committee concludes its work. Under AB 705, the California Community Colleges Board of Governors will approve the assessment measures that can be used as part of a multiple measures approach.
